Dodge Is Back, and So Is Denny!

June 09, 2025

Jun 9, 2025 | Edition #186

👋 Dear Motorheads,

That was some weekend at Michigan International Speedway, wasn’t it? With his 3rd win for the season, Denny Hamlin just became the 10th driver in Cup Series history to win a race after 700+ starts. And, it’s a big moment, especially after all this lawsuit stress that he mentioned.

Over in the Truck Series, Dodge is making a comeback, bringing some serious throwback energy. And while the weekend had its high points, it also had a heart-stopping moment. Alex Bowman’s crash looked a little too much like Dale Earnhardt’s from 2001. But before that, let’s talk about Denny’s win.

 🏁 Michigan Race Report

Persistence Pays Off for Hamlin

🏆 Denny Hamlin has now become the winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing’s history, overtaking Kyle Busch.

🤏 Chris Buescher’s runner-up finish behind Hamlin was his best Cup Series finish since the 2024 AdventHealth 400 in Kansas.

🫤 Ty Gibbs in P3 secured his second top-five finish of the season.

📊 Other Notable stats from the weekend

  • RFK Racing placed three cars in the Top 10 for the first time since Daytona in July 2016.

  • Hamlin now has 77 wins across NASCAR’s three national touring series.

  • Ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400, Chase Briscoe became the first driver to win 3 straight poles since Kyle Larson in March/April 2024

For the third time this season, Denny Hamlin had luck on his side at Michigan. But honestly, the day didn’t start too promisingly. Things got tense early on when Denny dragged his fueler leaving the pit, and the fueler lost his balance, dropping the fuel can. A mistake that almost led to a costly penalty for the No. 11 team. Take a look.

Even crew chief Chris Gayle admitted it was a close call, saying the can was nearly out of the box. But Denny took it all in stride, brushing it off with a smile: “That’s on me.”

But from there, he drove like a man on a mission, going into fuel-saver mode with 48 laps remaining. And, gained track positions as the laps ticked on, until he was on the heels of race leader William Byron.

By Lap 197, the No. 11 made its move to take the lead, and what followed was a heated duel with the No. 24 Chevy, turning things from bad to worse for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. But Byron showed lightning-fast pace. trying to stretch his fuel long enough. And, soon enough, his car started spluttering in the closing stages, forcing Byron to go into the pits.

Meanwhile, Denny approached the finish line, crossing the checkered flag with a margin of 1.099 seconds over RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher. And, oh boy, you need to see Denny’s celebrations in the pit lane. It felt like exactly what was missing from the victory lane. Some cheering. Some booing. And, Denny Hamlin, as usual, avoided it.

Hamlin was understandably all smiles, giving credit where it’s due, he said, “It's fantastic. You know, Chris Gayle, this whole team has just done a great job. We've been so fast throughout the entire year and just haven't finished for one reason or another.”

It was his 57th win of his Cup Series career. It was also his second win at Michigan International Speedway. The triumph is also coming at a pretty turbulent time for the 44-year-old, who hinted he might miss the race in Mexico if his fiancée goes into labor early.

Additionally, this win comes at a time when he’s possibly about to lose the 23XI Racing charters after the injunction was overturned.

“The tackle box is full. There's all kinds of stuff going on." While the veteran turned a potential ‘disaster class’ into a race win in Michigan, the battles are far from done yet, at least off the track.

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🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town

Chilling Crash Rocks NASCAR's Michigan Leg

Folks, we’ve seen some pretty bad wrecks in the Cup Series before, but things went to a whole new level at Michigan International Speedway. That literally made everyone hold their breath. Something that reminded us of NASCAR’s most horrifying crashes. And right in the middle of it all was Alex Bowman and his battered No. 48 Chevy.

In Stage 2, Bowman’s No. 48 turned sideways going into Turn 2. From there, it swerved down the track, shooting up across the traffic, before slamming into the outside wall. The force of the impact was so severe that it brought out the red flag. One could hear audible gasps in the stands. In a flip moment, everybody was praying for Bowman’s safety. This is how hard Bowman hit the safety barrier.

Thankfully, he managed to walk away on his own, a testament to how effective the SAFER barriers are and how NASCAR’s safety has evolved over the years. Look at the barrier’s flex on Bowman's hit.

“That one hurt, for sure. It felt like the hit at Texas all over again,” Bowman said. For those who don’t remember, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was referring to the multi-car wreck he was involved in earlier this season, after Bubba Wallace lost control at Texas Motor Speedway during Stage 3, causing a chain of events. Here’s a recap.

Alex Bowman started his day in Michigan in 17th place, in the bubble for playoff contention. However, this DNF is a big blow for the No. 48 crew, not just from an impact standpoint but from a postseason perspective as well.

As things stand, the racer is currently 20th in the standings, with no stage points, and a steep hill to climb now that the second half of the season is underway. He’s also in the middle of a 31-race winless streak.

Update on his health: Bowman is safe. There was a significant delay in the race after the red flag was waved to clear the debris. And, his car, the front was in a bad state. The No. 48 was unrecognizable.

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll! 🏁

Bowman’s Crash Felt Eerily Like Earnhardt’s in 2001. Do You Think the SAFER Barriers Saved Us From Another Tragedy?

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🔎 The In-Depth View

Ram Makes It Official!

It’s finally happening! After months of rumors and speculation, Dodge’s parent company, Stellantis, is entering NASCAR in 2026 with the subbrand Ram. They will be competing in the Truck Series, and everyone is excited!

The announcement was made at Michigan International Speedway. Considering Dodge’s deep roots in Michigan (tracing back to 1900 when the Dodge Brothers Company was founded in Detroit), it was only fitting that the news was revealed at the 1.9-mile oval.

Dodge made a grand entry, with sounds roaring as high and revealing the American monster in a NASCAR fashion. Everyone was cheering as the Ram truck performed burnouts on the platform. And, they look solid.

“Our brand has a passionate and loyal fan base that’s always had a strong affinity for performance and competition,” Ram’s CEO, Tim Kuniskis, said while making the company’s intentions clear, revealing it’s more than just a branding play.

He also added that their move back to stock car racing helps “amplify that connection in a big way,” mentioning some stats with the HEMI® V8 reference, and this ad looks more than just an entry. 

However, the manufacturer has not yet revealed which teams or drivers will be partnering with Ram. But one thing’s certain, they’re here to win, and that’s a good thing for the sport in the long run.

 🎥 Sunday’s Top Highlight

📈 Trending News

Another International Roadblock for NASCAR

The trip to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez isn’t just shaking up the calendar. It’s also forcing sponsors to rethink how to market themselves in a different country. While teams are busy scrambling across the border, dealing with this hauler chaos (the logistical challenges), their partners are also dealing with a difficult situation.

So, unlike the United States, Mexico has different advertising restrictions. And for a sport that runs on sponsorship dollars, this is a pretty big deal. Especially when some companies are being forced to take a backseat in arguably the biggest race weekend of the season.

According to FOX, teams, including Richard Childress Racing, will be forced to cover some of their sponsorship logos. Currently, Rebel Bourbon is sponsoring Kyle Busch for selected races, so one could be them. But here’s what won’t work. And, Busch’s hauler already has some of it covered. Watch for yourself.

  1. Alcohol branding is restricted in Mexico unless it meets a strict under-6% alcohol content rule and goes through a permitting process. And even then, there’s no guarantee.

  2. Logos for CBD products, nicotine, or tobacco companies are not allowed at all, as well as firearms and ammo.

And, other than these, the Casino sponsorships are only given the green light if they are licensed in Mexico. But this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Sponsors have known for months that NASCAR is heading to Mexico City, and surprisingly, a FOX journalist in this post even mentioned that “some of these deals were completed after Mexico was on the 2025 schedule.”

The question remains if these companies didn’t know their logos wouldn’t be visible south of the border? Unlikely. But it’s a strange situation nonetheless.

Clearly, NASCAR is outside its comfort zone here. Cup cars haven’t competed outside the United States in 25 years, and the upcoming race is the first points-paying championship event since 1958. With the sport looking to expand, it’s not just about who wins at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but how well teams and sponsors adapt to an unfamiliar surrounding.

In all, the Mexico race could be a make-or-break point for NASCAR’s international plans.

  1. Dale Jr. Rejects Racing Return at Prestigious Event - Full Story

  2. Bubba Wallace’s Protégé Asks to Drop Daytona From Schedule - Full Story

  3. Ryan Newman Finds a True Successor, “Rocketman 2.0” - Full Story

  4. “Run by Mor—s:” Historic NASCAR Track’s Gross Safety Negligence Goes Viral - Full Story

  5. Hamlin and Fiancée Resort to Dating Apps to Resolve Disagreements - Full Story

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